Evidence of Things Not Seen
by jtav
Summary: Cedric Diggory has some very unusual assistance during the Triwizard Tournament. A series of vignettes. CDLL
1. Part One

**i**

"_Alohomora!"_

The golden egg opened, and a familiar wail echoed through the Hufflepuff common room. Ernie winced. Susan covered her ears, and Zach cursed loudly. "Could somebody shut that bloody thing up?"

Cedric snapped it closed. "Sorry," he murmured. He had been so sure that the way to make the clue intelligible was to open the egg without actually touching it. Obviously not. Perhaps how you opened the egg made no difference. The wail could be a code of some kind.

Hannah cleared her throat. Cedric turned to face her, but she seemed to have trouble meeting Cedric's eyes and finally settled for staring at his shoulder instead. "Look, Cedric, we're all proud that the Hogwarts champion is from Hufflepuff. It's just…" Her face reddened, and she trailed off.

"What is it? You can tell me. Is something wrong?"

"I, um, --"

"Oh, for God's sake!" Zach slammed his Transfiguration book onto the table. "What she's trying to say, Diggory, is that you should take that egg of yours somewhere private because you're driving us barmy. The Hogwarts champion might be exempt from exams, but some of us," he gestured towards the rest of students, "still have to study."

Cedric grimaced. "Is that what you all think?"

"Yes," said Clive Stebbins, "we all talked it over and decided that, as much as we'd like a Hufflepuff victory, we'd like some peace and quiet more." Several of the first years were nodding in the background. So were Bones and Macmillan. He knew the wailing was annoying, but he hadn't realized that the situation was this bad.

He nodded once, more to himself than to them. "I'll just have to work outside from now on. The fresh air might do me some good." He grinned at them. "Maybe the Giant Squid can give me some tips."

He had not even realized how much tension there was in the room until it was gone. Several people laughed and clapped him on the back, congratulating him for being such a good sport. Had they been expecting him to be angry with them? He didn't need the common room to work. They did. He scooped up his things and went in search of a more appropriate place to work on the second task.

Cedric took his time wandering through the grounds, enjoying the fine weather. It was unseasonably warm for late November, and a gentle breeze caressed his cheeks. He walked until he came to a grassy patch not far from the Quidditch pitch. It seemed unnaturally silent without the crack of Beaters' bats and the cheers of the crowd. No one was likely to come this way. He sat down.

He studied the egg. Even if he was right, and the wailing was some kind of code, there were dozens of possibilities. Where to start? Justin had once told him that many Muggles believed that their music contained secret messages when played backwards. It seemed preposterous to Cedric, but it was worth a shot. He opened the egg and pointed his wand.

If possible, the noise was even more hideous when played in reverse. He tried speeding it up and slowing it down. Both were gibberish. He smiled grimly. At least he could add a few more items to his ever-growing list of things that did not work. The next logical thing to do was to go to the library and research magical codes and ciphers. He checked his pocket watch. If he hurried, he could just get to the library in time to find a few relevant books before it closed. He stood.

"That was a very interesting noise. What is it?" asked a dreamy voice.

Cedric started and turned. Luna Lovegood stood behind him, twisting a strand of hair between her fingers. She stared at him with her silver eyes. He shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. It was a moment before he realized that she expected an answer. "That's what I'm trying to figure out, actually. It's supposed to be a clue of some kind. I was just heading to the library to do some more research."

"Hmm. I wonder if it might be the mating call of the Crumple-Horned Snorkack? No, those are higher pitched." She smiled at him. "I wish you luck, Cedric Diggory. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go look for my lucky bracelet."

Cedric had no idea what a Crumple-Horned Snorkack was, so he focused on the part of the conversation that he did understand. "You've lost something?"

"Yes, a bracelet. I keep it in my pack when I'm not using it. It dilutes the luck, you know, if you wear a charm all the time. I'm quite sure I had it this afternoon." She inclined her head toward a nearby clump of trees. "I went in there to do some sketches. It must have fallen out then. Normally, I would trust that it would come back to me if it was meant to, but I have a Transfiguration test tomorrow. I would like to have the luck."

He did the maths in his head. Luna was a third year. Flitwick did not cover Summoning Charms until fourth year. If she wanted to find her bracelet, she would have to search for it physically. He looked towards the clump of trees. They looked oddly menacing in the dying light. "Do you need some help? I could try to summon it for you if you like."

"That's not necessary," said Luna. In any case, you have a task of your own."

"It's no trouble. I could save you a lot of time."

She looked uncertain but finally nodded. He readied his wand. "_Accio _bracelet!" he shouted. Nothing happened. Perhaps he had not been specific enough. "_Accio_ Luna's lucky bracelet." Still nothing. He thought for a moment. In order for a Summoning Charm to be effective, you had to have a general idea of the object's location. He was working with too large an area. "This has not been my day for casting spells."

"Thank you for your help. I suppose I shall simply have to look for it on my own." She moved towards the trees.

He laid a restraining hand on her arm. "Would you like me to come with you? I may be rubbish at spells today, but I'm very good at spotting small, shiny objects. They didn't make me Seeker because of my good looks." He gave her his most charming smile. "Besides, I'm a prefect. Finding lost things is practically part of my job description."

She looked skeptical. "What about your egg? You said that you were going to the library. You won't have time to help me and do your research."

Merlin's beard, she was right. He would scarcely be able to make it to the library as it was, let alone if he went gamboling through the woods. He would have to wait until tomorrow to get the books. He wanted to win the Cup, wanted it more than he had ever wanted anything. Every day he wasted was a day that he could have used to prepare for the next task. Viktor or Fleur might have already figured out their egg. Surely, the tournament was more important than some bracelet. He did not even know Luna that well. They might have been neighbors, but he could count on one hand the number of times they had actually spoken.

Cedric stopped himself. It did not matter how well he knew Luna. He would have helped a perfect stranger if it weren't for the upcoming task. He had meant what he said. One of his duties as prefect was assisting other students in whatever way he could. If he abandoned that duty the first time it was inconvenient, then he was not a worthy Hogwarts champion. "The library will be there tomorrow."

She thought it over, then motioned for him to follow her.

It did not take long for him to be glad that she had allowed him to come with her. The trees grew close together, blocking out most of the remaining sunlight. Two wands meant twice the light. He led the way and kept an eye out for any hazards that might escape her notice. "What does your bracelet look like?"

"Well, it's silver and rather thick. There are some charms attached. It's engraved with my name and the date September 4, 1989." He must have looked puzzled because she added, "My mother bought it for my ninth birthday."

Cedric sucked in a breath. Mrs. Lovegood had died in late December that same year. Cedric had been home for the holidays, and he and his family had attended the funeral. This bracelet would have been the last birthday gift that Luna had received from her mother. No wonder that it was her lucky charm. "We'll find it, I promise."

They trudged onward. He could see only a few feet ahead. Behind him, Luna hummed softly. She seemed completely undisturbed by the situation. Branches clawed at them and tore Cedric's robes in two places. He was tired and sweaty and felt like he'd just been in a Quidditch match, only he hadn't caught the Snitch.

He was just about to ask if she was sure that she had lost the bracelet here when he saw it. It was only by sheer luck that he saw it at all. He had been pointing his wand at the ground, scanning for any roots that he might accidentally trip over when he noticed something glittering in the wand light. He picked it up. It was caked with dirt, but it was undeniably a silver bracelet. "Is this it?" he asked.

She took the bracelet from him. "_Scourgify_," she said. The dirt fell away. He moved behind her and pointed his wand over her shoulder so she could read the inscription. "This is it," she breathed. She tucked the bracelet into her robes. "Thank you."

"It was nothing."

"Of course it was. You took time out of preparing for the tournament to help me. I am in your debt, Cedric Diggory, and I always pay my debts." She grabbed the hand that wasn't holding a wand. "I promise you that I'll do everything I can to help you with your egg."

Her solemn, oddly formal tone unnerved him slightly. She had made a promise, not signed a magical contract. Still, it was best to take the offer in the spirit that it was intended. "I'm honored.," he said, sincerely.

They walked back to the castle in companionable silence. He bid her goodnight at the bottom of the Grand Staircase. Clive looked up from his book when he entered. "Well, did the Giant Squid give you tips?"

"It's better than that. I've got a Ravenclaw for a research assistant."

**ii**

"I wonder if a special kind of wand might help. There's an article in this month's_ Quibbler _about a special cleaning charm that can only be done by wizards using a mahogany wand."

Cedric looked up from his copy of _A Warlock's Guide to Magical Mysteries._ "I doubt that. You can cast any kind of spell with any kind of wand. It's the talent of the wizard that makes the difference."

Luna's brow furrowed. "No, the source was quite sure that people who used other kinds of wand couldn't do it. My father's wand is oak, and nothing happened when he cast it." She gave him a superior look as if she had proven her point.

He resisted pointing out that the spell was probably a fake, and nothing would have happened even if Mr. Lovegood had used a mahogany wand. "There's no record of magic acting differently depending on the wand."

"There's the Elder Wand."

He sighed. Suggesting that the wailing noise was the mating call of a Crumple-Horned Whatsit had been funny, even endearing. Stories of a Rotfang Conspiracy were mildly exasperating. Now she expected him to take _fairy tales _seriously? "The Deathly Hallows are just a story." It was time to steer this conversation back to the egg. He plucked a book at random from the pile in the middle of the table and handed it to her. "Have we checked this one yet? They all start to run together after a while." That, at least, was the truth. He'd spent less time in the library reviewing for his OWLs than he had in the last few days trying to crack the egg's secret.

"Yes. You got the Revealing Charm we tried yesterday from it, remember?" She put the book back in the pile. "Anyway, the Deathly Hallows are not just a story. Lots of people believe they're real. My father even went looking for them when he was young."

He massaged his temples. Luna regarded him with a faintly pitying look. "You look tired. Should we continue this tomorrow?"

"I think that might be best." Tomorrow he would have his wits about him and could focus on magical objects that actually existed.

Try as he might, however, Cedric could not stop thinking about the Hallows as he walked back to the dormitory. That had always been his favorite story. For a month after his grandfather had died, he had been sure that every rock he saw was the Resurrection Stone in disguise. Was that why Luna still believed in a children's story? Did she hope that someone could find them and bring her mother back? He shook his head. It was perfectly understandable, if tragic. Luna was smart enough to be a Ravenclaw. She shouldn't be chasing after things that didn't exist. He could almost understand her believing in nargles. New magical creatures were always being discovered. The Deathly Hallows would have made it into the history books if the legends were true.

_The history books. Of course. _The Triwizard Tournament was a centuries-old institution. Perhaps if he researched what past champions had to accomplish for the second task, he would receive some insight into what awaited him. He did not delude himself into thinking that the tasks would be identical, but it seemed likely that they would at least follow a similar structure. Now, all he had to do was decide the best way to find what he was looking for. The obvious course of action was to return to the library and find yet more books. There was bound to be at least one history of the tournament in Hogwarts' vast collection of knowledge. On the other hand, it might take hours to find the pattern that he was seeking. There had to be a faster way than poring over musty old tomes.

Perhaps there was. Before she had married his father, his mother had worked briefly for the_ Daily Prophet_ as an investigative reporter. She had loved to tell stories of grilling this or that Ministry employee because "when you want the truth, you don't wait for the press release." When she had needed background for a story, she had consulted the experts. He would follow in her footsteps and find an expert to interview about the history of the tournament. The, er, person most likely to be able to help him was Professor Binns. He shuddered. The thought was almost enough to send him scuttling back to the library.On the other hand, he would need every spare moment to actually prepare for the task once he had deciphered the clue. A few minutes' boredom was a small price to pay for eternal glory. He squared his shoulders and went off in search of Binns.

Binns' office was on the second floor. Cedric rapped on the door three times. There was no answer. He tried again. Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, a thin, reedy voice called, "Come in."

The hinges creaked as Cedric swung open the door. He coughed. The room was covered in dust, and smelled as if it hadn't been cleaned since Binns was alive. Binns hovered just above a rickety chair and was marking essays. He peered at Cedric through ghostly spectacles. "Ah, Mr. Daggley. What do you want? I'm quite busy, so be quick about it."

Cedric told him what he wanted. "The Triwizard Tournament?" asked Binns. "Each one was different, of course, but you were correct in supposing that they shared common elements. The first task was traditionally a contest pitting each champion against a magical beast. In 1632, they had to face a blinded basilisk. Only one survived..."

He continued in that vein for another quarter of an hour, describing the magical creatures featured in past tournaments and the resulting grisly ends of various champions. Cedric might have been horrified or fascinated, except that Binns' monotone made it difficult to stay awake. When Binns paused momentarily, Cedric seized his chance. "What about the second task? Did the champions always have to decipher a puzzle beforehand?"

"Indeed. It most often took the form of a riddle containing a clue to the location or nature of the upcoming challenge. For example, the last time the Triwizard Tournament was held, each champion was required to sneak into a specially prepared giant's lair and retrieve his or her own wand. The clue took the form of a couplet written in one of the giants' languages."

"Thank you, professor." So the wailing might be in a foreign language of some kind. That was something, at least.

Binns stared at him. "Anything else, Mr. Daggley?"

"No, thank -- is there any truth to the legend of the Deathly Hallows?" Where had that come from? Luna must have been affecting him more than he realized. He would be wearing vegetable jewelry next. Still, hearing confirmation from an expert that it was only a story could be valuable, if only for his own peace of mind. He doubted that any force on Earth could make Luna stop believing in anything.

"The idea that Death itself created objects for any witch or wizard is something best left to superstitious fools. The notion that these options would give the bearer mastery over death is preposterous. The last verifiable account of the Wand of Destiny was in the mid-twelfth century."

Cedric's eyes widened. "The Wand of Destiny?"

"The Wand of Destiny is sometimes identified with the Elder Wand. Certainly, history records that many who wielded the wand did extraordinary things after acquiring it."

"So at least one of the Hallows exists?"

Binns scowled at him. "A wand commonly identified with a mythical object did exist. The last verified owner lived centuries ago. Any more recent reports, including rumors that the Dark Lord Grindelwald possessed it, are from unreliable sources."

Suddenly, Cedric was a six-year-old boy who wanted only to know why Grandpa Archie had gone away without saying anything. "What about the Resurrection Stone?"

"There is no record of its existence. It was most likely grafted on to the genuine history of the wand, along with the cloak, to make a more suitable story."

It had been a foolish hope, but Cedric found himself disappointed anyway. He nodded his thanks and bid the professor a good afternoon. He owed Luna an apology. She had been right -- mostly, anyway -- about at least one of the Hallows; he had been wrong to dismiss her out of hand.

He found her sitting by the lake and joined her. "You look troubled," she said by way of greeting. "Does it have something to do with the egg?"

"Not really. I came out here to talk to you." He cleared his throat, and she looked at him expectantly. "You were right. The Elder Wand isn't just a story. I figure if you're right about that then you might be right about other things."

"Does this mean you'll stop almost laughing when I try to tell you about nargles?"

He hadn't realized that she'd noticed that. "Of course. In fact, why don't you tell me about them right now?"

She grinned at him.


	2. Part Two

**iii.**

"Glad you could make it," said Moody. "Shut the door, would you? I don't want any eavesdroppers."

Cedric did as he was asked. Moody had stopped him on his way to Transfiguration and asked to him to come by his office as soon as class was over. Cedric had a good idea what this was about. He had received full marks on his last essay, so Moody probably didn't want to discuss his performance in class. That left the Triwizard Tournament. He sat down in the chair opposite the desk and waited.

Moody did not disappoint him. "Have you made any progress with that egg of yours?"

"I feel like I'm closing in on the solution, sir." He had to be; he and Luna had spent the last three days checking the wailing against various archaic dialects of Goblin, Centaur, and Giant. They were running out of languages.

"You might want to think about taking a bath. Take the egg with you, think things over."

"Sir?"

"Take a bath with the egg," he said slowly, as if he were speaking to a child. "I can't put it more clearly than that. Dumbledore thinks we teachers should be impartial." He laughed bitterly. "As if Karkaroff and Maxime aren't doing everything they can to make sure their champion wins."

Cedric fidgeted. Dumbledore had a point. It was one thing to ask a teacher a specific question, as he had with Binns, but quite another for Moody to volunteer information. "Have you told Harry? It doesn't seem fair --"

"Fair?" Moody growled, his magical eye whizzing madly. "The Triwizard Tournament has never been fair. Delacour has Maxime. Krum has Karkaroff. Even Potter has the Granger girl, and she's one of the cleverest witches I've ever seen. Who do you have?"

"Luna Lovegood has been helping me."

"I've seen you with the Lovegood girl. If you want to win, you need someone who can actually help you. All she's done is feed you half-baked ideas that she gets from a two bit rag that makes the_ Daily Prophet_ look respectable."

Cedric scowled at him. "She has been helping me. If it weren't for one of those 'half baked ideas' I'd still be on the wrong track."

Moody seemed to realize that he had overstepped his bounds because his tone softened. "All I'm saying is that you need all the help you can get. Promise me that you'll think about what I've said."

"I will, sir." He decided if Moody's advice helped him, then he would pass it on to Harry. He owed Harry for telling him about the dragons. The Tournament might not be fair, but he would be.

"Well, run along. Stebbins is waiting for you outside, and I wouldn't want him to get suspicious."

Clive Stebbins was indeed lounging against the opposite wall when Cedric stepped into the corridor. He fell into step beside Cedric. "What did old Mad-Eye want?"

"Nothing." Moody had seemed to want their conversation kept private, but, knowing Stebbins, it would be all over the school by dinner. "Why were you waiting for me, anyway?"

Clive stared at his shoes. "Can't a bloke be curious about the people he shares a dorm with? I just wanted to know what you were up to."

"You know, that would be a lot more convincing if you'd look me in the eye when you say it."

Clive grinned sheepishly and met his eyes. "Fine. Some of the others wanted to know who you're going to take to the Yule Ball. Nobody wants to step on the toes of a champion."

It was Cedric's turn to grin sheepishly. "I haven't actually asked anyone yet."

Clive gaped at him. "You haven't asked anyone yet? But half the girls in school fancy you. I have it on good authority that Patricia Stimpson signs all her notes _The Future Mrs. Diggory_."

"She does not. I think she's spoken three sentences to me since she came here, and one of them was to ask me where the nearest toilet was."

"Perhaps I was exaggerating a little. Still, half the girls here would trade their broomsticks for a chance to go to the Ball with you. Tomorrow's the last day of term. Tick, tock, Ced."

They passed a group of Gryffindor girls in the corridor. Cedric nodded in greeting, and two of them broke into giggles. Cedric flushed, which only made them giggle louder. Clive smirked at him. "I don't see why you don't ask one of them. The one on the left was certainly fit enough."

"It's not about that." It wasn't that Cedric didn't like girls. He'd spent most of his fifth year going out with Samantha Fletcher, a Slytherin two years his senior. She had been funny and unafraid of telling him when he was being a prat and hadn't laughed at him when he said he wanted to join the Department of Magical Law Enforcement after leaving Hogwarts. He hadn't been in love with her, not really. He could talk to her, though, which was almost as good. Most of the other girls seemed more interested in showing him off like a prize horse or dragging him behind the Quidditch stands for a quick snog than in any kind of relationship. If he was going to spend four hours with a girl, he wanted it to be one he could hold a conversation with. It was a pity that Sam was in Peru. "Just haven't seen anyone I wanted to ask."

"That's your trouble. You're too picky. What about Cho Chang?"

"The Seeker for Ravenclaw?" There was an idea. She had always seemed nice enough on the few occasions he'd spoken to her, and she never giggled at him. "Maybe."

They turned a corner. Two boys stood facing one another in the middle of the corridor. Cedric recognized them as his fellow Hufflepuffs, Summerby and Caldwaller. Summerby sent a roll of parchment arcing into the air, which Caldwaller returned. It was rather like a game of Muggle tennis, except with magic instead of rackets. Several other people had crowded around them, watching with expressions ranging from amusement to irritation. Well, if Summerby and Caldwaller wanted to play a silly game, that was their business, but they should have picked someplace more private. He pushed his way through the crowd. "All right, lads, move along before you start blocking traffic."

Having come closer to the action, he could see that Caldwaller and Summerby were not the only ones involved in this little game. Luna stood off to one side, waving her wand frantically. "_Wingardium Levios_a!" she shouted. Nothing happened.

"Stop making my Potions essay fly through the air, if you please," she said more calmly. Cedric's eyes narrowed. This wasn't tennis. It was monkey-in-the-middle.

Cedric didn't think; he reacted. "What the hell do you two think you're doing?"

He darted forward and shoved Summerby's wand arm down to his side. A small part of him registered that he was being overly dramatic. The rest of him remembered how Moody had dismissed Luna and was too angry to care. Without magic keeping it afloat, the roll of parchment fell to the ground with a soft_ plop_. Luna retrieved it and hastily stowed it in her bag. She flashed him a grateful smile.

Cedric scarcely noticed her. His gaze shifted from Summerby to Caldwaller, then back. Caldwaller at least had the good grace to hang his head, but Summerby glared at Cedric defiantly. "We thought," he said, "that we were having a bit of fun."

"By stealing another student's homework and tossing it around like a Quaffle? That was Luna's homework, wasn't it?" After a long moment, Caldwaller nodded slowly. Even Summerby didn't deny it; he merely grimaced.

So, they thought it amusing to swipe Luna's homework_._ Now the first rush of emotion was past, Cedric allowed himself to relax. His anger was still there, but it was cold, controlled. He had a job to do and he meant to do it. "Ten points from Hufflepuff for both of you."

Summerby swore. "Are you mental? Taking twenty points will put us in second. Are you trying to cost us The House Cup?" There were murmurs of agreement from the crowd. He had a feeling that he was in for a rough evening when he got back to the common room.

"You should've thought of that before you started bullying another student. If I could, I'd give both of you detention." He turned to Clive. "Make sure Summerby and Caldwaller get back to the common room without causing any more trouble."

Clive saluted. "Right. Come on, you two. The rest of you, clear out. Nothing to see here." The crowd of students dispersed, and Clive marched towards the common room, his two "prisoners" in tow.

Only he and Luna remained in the corridor. "That was a very gallant thing you did," she said. "Not many prefects would take points from their own houses. It was almost Gryffindor of you."

He grinned at her. "Don't tell anyone that. They'll probably want to banish me from the house as it is. Anyway, they deserved what they got. Hufflepuffs are supposed to treat everyone the same. How would it look if I let my own housemates get away with harassing you?"

"Then I take back what I said. You aren't a Gryffindor. You're a credit to Hufflepuff."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. I should leave now. Professor Snape won't like it if I'm late."

"Do you want me to walk you there, in case anybody else tries to bother you?" He allowed himself a wry grin and tapped his prefect's badge with one finger. "It's all part of the job."

"I very much doubt serving as my personal bodyguard is part of your job, but I would be glad for the company."

Down they went, past the ground floor and into the dungeons. "There's a new issue of the_ Quibbler_ out," Luna said.

"Oh?"

"Yes. There's been a sighting of a new variety of vampire in the American Northwest. They sparkle in the sunlight."

Cedric suppressed a laugh. His father had worked in the Vampire Regulation Division for several years and had often talked to Cedric about his work, hoping his gory and exciting tales would inspire his son to follow in his footsteps. By the time he was twelve, Cedric knew more than he had ever wanted to about vampires. It was next to magically impossible for vampires to sparkle in sunlight. Then again, the existence of the Elder Wand was supposed to be impossible, too. Who knew? Perhaps there really were sparkling vampires running around somewhere. One thing was for sure, no one could ever accuse Luna of being boring.

He stopped. Yes, Luna was certainly interesting. Wasn't that what he wanted in a Yule Ball date? He didn't fancy her, but he didn't fancy Cho Chang, either. Luna had barely missed the cut off to go to the ball on her own. It seemed wrong that she would miss a once-in-a-lifetime event because of such a small thing. He and Luna could have a good time, he was sure of it. They would dance a few times, and spend the rest of the evening talking and laughing. "Would you like to go to the ball with me?" he blurted out.

"What?"

He'd meant to lead up to that, but there was no helping it now. "Would you like to go to the ball with me?" She was staring at him in open astonishment, so he continued, " Just as friends. Champions have to have a date, and I thought you might want to be mine."

She considered it. "No, I don't think so. I'm flattered, but..."

"But what?" Cedric asked softly. He found himself oddly disappointed by her answer.

"I want Ronald Weasley to ask me. It wouldn't be fair for me to go with you and spend the entire evening thinking about another boy."

Cedric stood in stunned silence for a moment. Up until now, he had realized intellectually that Luna was a girl, but it had always seemed almost a throwaway detail. He had always assumed that she was too wrapped up in her extraordinary theories to have a crush on anybody, let alone someone as ordinary as Ron Weasley. "I hope he does ask you," he said and meant it.

She smiled at him. "Thank you. That still leaves you without a date, though, doesn't it? Who will you ask now?"

"Cho Chang." Yes, he would ask her after dinner.

"I like Cho. She has always been kind to me. Don't hurt her, Cedric. I'd hate to be forced to hex you."

He had deposited her just outside the Potions classroom and was halfway back to his common room before he realized she had been serious.

**iv.**

Cedric emerged from the prefect's bath, his hair still damp. He had done it! He had worked out the riddle of the golden egg. All he had to was find a way to breathe underwater for an hour and rescue Merlin-knew-what from the bottom of the lake, apparently. The thought was only slightly less daunting than the idea of facing a dragon. Cedric shook his head. He would worry about that later; for now, he would enjoy his success.

To his surprise, Luna was waiting for him. He hadn't told her that he meant to try Moody's advice today. "Hello, Cedric. I saw you go in. Have you figured out the secret of the egg?"

"Yeah, I have." He had a sudden urge to take her in his arms and twirl her around. Instead, he settled for grinning stupidly. "Come on, let's go down to the kitchens and see if we can sneak an apple crumble or two from the house-elves. I want to celebrate."

Instead of responding, she stared at him. This in itself was not unusual. Luna often stared. Normally, though, her expression remained vague and dreamy, as if she didn't really see whatever it was she was looking at. Now, she was looking at him so intently that it was slightly unnerving. "What's wrong?"

She blinked. "Nothing is wrong. You no longer need my assistance. My debt to you is repaid."

Her debt? Oh, the bracelet. He'd almost forgotten about that. He laid a hand on her shoulder. His throat tightened a little, and he realized with a shock that he would miss her. "I couldn't have done it without you."

"Of course you could have. You're the cleverest boy at Hogwarts and almost as clever as my father." She smiled weakly at him. "Thank you for saying it, though. I suppose this concludes our... partnership, if that's the right word. Good luck in the rest of the tournament."

Her tone was light, but her body told a different story. Her arms were crossed, though the gesture looked more self-protective then defensive. She was smiling, but it didn't reach her eyes. Was she upset that she didn't have to help him anymore? He would've thought that she had grown tired of long nights fruitlessly searching in the library and casting spells that brought them no closer to a solution. He certainly was.

Then it hit him. He remembered the day that she had turned him down when he had asked her to the Yule Ball. She had said that she was glad that he was asking Cho because Cho was kind to her. She had not said that Cho was her friend. At meals, she always sat slightly apart from the rest of the Ravenclaws. Now he that he thought of it, she was usually alone. He had originally assumed she was off in her own world and preferred not to be bothered. What if she was alone because most of the other students preferred not to be bothered with her? Was she willing to spend long nights researching with him because she was lonely?

She was right in that he no longer needed her assistance. There was no longer a puzzle to be solved. He would spend a few days in the library searching for an appropriate spell, and then he would practice that spell until he was sure he could do it when the time came for the Second Task. That would be tedious, but he could manage it. If letting her help him would make Luna feel like less of an outcast, then it was clear what he was supposed to do. He smiled to himself. Never let it be said that Cedric Diggory had not done his duty. Keeping Luna around was merely a delightful bonus.

Of course, that was assuming he had read her correctly. There was only one way to find out. "Actually, I might need some help. I have to work out how to survive underwater in the lake for an hour, can you believe it? That could be tricky. Besides, there is a whole other task to prepare for after that, and Merlin knows what they've got in mind. I could use someone to bounce ideas off of. Interested?"

Her whole face lit up, and Cedric knew that he had guessed correctly. "Yes." She looked suddenly doubtful. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Now do you want that apple crumble?"

She nodded. "I'd love one."


	3. Part Three

**v.**

"Goodnight," said Cho. "I had a lovely time."

"Same here." Cedric watched as she mounted the stairs toward Ravenclaw Tower. He waited until she was out of sight before heading back to his own common room. The evening had gone better than he could have hoped. He and Cho had danced almost every dance, and he hadn't stepped on her toes once. They'd spent most of the rest of the evening discussing Quidditch and how much they both missed playing it. Cho had been funny and charming, and he had had a good time. There hadn't exactly been fireworks; really, he hadn't been expecting there to be.

To his surprise, someone had beaten him back to the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room. Luna sat with her back against a nearby wall. She wore pajamas emblazoned with the Ravenclaw crest and looked half-asleep. When he approached, she stood up and stretched. "Good evening, Cedric. Happy Christmas. Although, I suppose that it's Boxing Day by now, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Happy Boxing Day. What are you doing here? Did you want to hear about the ball?" He had seen Ron Weasley with a pretty Indian girl, so he assumed that Luna hadn't got to go after all. From the way Ron had spent most of the night skulking in a corner with Harry instead of attending to his date, he thought she might have been better off. "I can tell you about it, if you like."

"Later, perhaps. I came down here to give you this." She pressed a small piece of parchment into his hand. "I didn't really have anything better to do, so I spent the evening compiling a list of ways that you could breathe underwater."

"You what? On Christmas? Luna, it's a holiday. You're allowed to take the day off."

She shrugged. "Oh, it's quite all right. As I said, I didn't have anything better to do. All anyone could talk about was how horrible it was that they didn't have dates. It got rather tiresome after a while. Working on this was almost a relief."

"I can imagine." He scanned the parchment quickly. Some of her suggestions were outlandish or impractical, but some -- transfiguring himself into a fish, for instance -- might actually work. He pointed at one item toward the bottom of the list. "The Bubble-Head Charm? I've never heard of it."

"Daddy uses it when he has to investigate sightings of aquatic beasts. He found a whole colony of Norwegian Nilforns once. The incantation is_ Respiro_."

Cedric thought for a moment. If the Bubble-Head Charm actually existed -- and it seemed far too prosaic to be a mere_ Quibbler _invention -- then Luna had just saved him untold hours of research. He still had to master the spell, of course, but Charms had always been one of his best subjects. "Thank you. You've really outdone yourself."

She gave him a small, pleased smile. The other Hufflepuffs who had gone to the ball were coming back in earnest now. He stepped to one side to let them pass. Most of them were laughing. He overheard several of them say that they wished that there were a Yule Ball every year. Luna watched them too, her expression wistful. He couldn't blame her; she would never get a chance to attend the Yule Ball. Even if there were another tournament in five years, she would have left school by then. He revised his earlier opinion. Going with Weasley would have been better than not going at all. "Are you sure that you don't want to hear about the ball?"

She watched as the last of the revelers climbed through the portrait hole. After a long moment she said, "I suppose it might be nice to hear a little about what it was like."

He grinned. "We didn't start dancing right away. They fed us first. There was more food than I'd ever seen in my life. Then the Weird Sisters showed up..."

He spent the next few minutes answering her questions. Luna wanted to hear about everything -- the music, the decorations, even the punch. Her last question surprised him, though. "Did you have a good time with Cho?"

Cedric hadn't thought Luna the type to be interested in how his dates went; he added it to his mental list of faulty assumptions about her. "Yeah. It wasn't true love or anything, but I wouldn't mind talking Quidditch or sharing a pint of butterbeer with her."

"I'm glad. Being able to talk to someone is almost as good as being in love, I think." She yawned. "I'm off to bed. Thank you for telling me about the ball. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

When he got back to the dorm, Clive was still up. His hair was in disarray, and there was a spot of red that might have been lipstick on his neck. "Someone had fun tonight, I see," Cedric said.

Clive grinned. "Just showing a lady a good time. Speaking of ladies, I saw you with Loony Lovegood."

"Her name's Luna."

Clive held up his hands. "All right, all right. What were you and_ Luna_ up to?"

"Just talking about the tournament."

"Right. Talking."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. I'm just surprised she didn't try to tell you all about the Crumple-Horned Snorkle."

"She hasn't mentioned those in ages. They're called Snorkacks, by the way."

Clive shook his head and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "bloody mental" under his breath. Cedric let that pass. So Clive thought he was a bit mad for hanging around with Luna. There were worse fates. In any case, he had more important things to worry about. He and Luna had a spell to master.

**vi.**

Life was good for Cedric. He had come in first in the second task. He was now tied for first place overall with Harry. Barring a spectacular performance from Krum or a miraculous one from Fleur, it seemed likely that the Triwizard champion would be from Hogwarts. Cedric still wanted to win-- wanted it more than anything he had ever wanted in his life -- but a victory for Harry was still a victory for Hogwarts, and Cedric could take a certain amount of comfort in that. To top it off, this was a Hogsmeade weekend. Cedric had made plans to celebrate his victory with Clive, Sarah Fawcett, Cho, and Marietta.

Admittedly, his friendship with Cho had suffered an unforeseen complication since the second task. Most of Hogwarts seemed to think that they were dating. He had lost track of the number of times someone had slapped him on the back and congratulated him on a fine catch, as if Cho were a salmon or a Snitch instead of a person. Clive had teased him about "fraternizing with the enemy" and reminded Cedric that Hufflepuff would still have to play Ravenclaw next year. Then he had winked at him and headed off to the lake to snog Sarah. Cedric had bitten back a quip about pots and kettles.

He supposed speculation was only natural. According to the Triwizard judges, Cho was what he would "sorely miss." The obvious conclusion was that Cedric was desperately in love with her. He thought it more likely that the judges had seen them having a reasonably good time at the ball and occasionally meeting afterwards to talk Quidditch. They had put two and two together and come up with five. He wondered if Cho was having to deal with as many rumors as he was. He supposed he would find out shortly; he was supposed to meet Cho and Marietta in the Great Hall in twenty minutes.

When he got there, however, Cho was alone. She alternated between staring at the floor as if fascinated by the stonework and shifting from foot to foot. Her lips were drawn in a tight line, and her brow was furrowed. When she noticed him, she smiled shyly. The tense lines around her eyes remained. "Cedric!" she said. Beneath her cheerful tone, he detected a note of anxiety that was unlike her.

"Where's Marietta? Is something wrong?"

"There was an accident in Potions. One of the Gryffindors botched a Strengthening Solution and blew up his cauldron. Marietta was at the next table and got some nasty burns. Madame Pomfrey says she'll be fine in a day or two, but she wants to keep her under observation today."

"That's awful. If you'd rather stay with her than go with me, I understand."

Cho laughed. "You don't know Marietta that well, do you? There's nothing she hates worse than being around other people when she's sick. She'd chase me out of the hospital wing herself."

Cedric laughed, too. "Well, we wouldn't want that, now would we? Shall we be off?"

Cho bit her lip, and Cedric wondered if she was nervous for some reason besides Marietta's accident. "Actually, I was wondering if you might want to go with me to Madame Puddifoot's."

"Madame Puddifoot's?" It was all right if you liked that sort of place, but Cedric had always avoided it if he could. It was impossible to enjoy tea when you were surrounded by couples kissing and whispering nonsense into each other's ears. "What did Clive and Sarah say? I know Clive loves Madame Rosmerta's butterbeer."

"I thought we could go by ourselves." Cedric gaped at her, and she rushed on. "If you're worried about Clive and Sarah, don't be. Sarah seemed thrilled when I suggested that she and Clive spend some time alone. Maybe we should, too."

It took a moment for Cedric to process what she had said. "Are you asking me on a date?"

"Y-yes, yes. I suppose I am. I really like you, Cedric."

Cedric ran his hands through his hair. He was at a loss for words. She had never said anything, given the slightest sign that she valued him as anything more than a friend. Or had she? He recalled the adoring look she'd given him after the second task. At the time, he had chalked it up to her being grateful for being out of the water and being pleased that he was tied for first place. Sometimes, when they passed each other in the corridor, Cho held eye contact for half a moment too long. He hadn't thought much of that either. Luna stared at him so often that he was beginning to think that it was normal Ravenclaw behavior. Obviously not.

The best thing to do was to be completely honest. "I like you, too. A lot. But as a friend."

"A friend? I... I... but after the lake, I thought..." She trembled, though whether from rage or grief Cedric couldn't say. He stood helplessly. Embracing her would send the wrong message. Patting her on the arm felt condescending. Saying "I hope we can still be friends?" Well, he deserved to be hexed if he used that line while she was still in the throes of emotion. So, in the end, he could only watch as she willed control over her body and schooled her face into a tight, brittle smile that didn't suit her. "Friends," she said dully. "Yes, we are friends. Thank you, I suppose, for not leading me on. I'd like to be alone right now, please." With that, she turned on her heel and marched through the doors of the Great Hall.

Cedric trudged down the path to Hogsmeade. He met no one on his trek and was glad of it. If he'd seen a happy, snogging couple, he might have been forced to hit something. So, Cho had not only endured speculation that they were a couple, she had believed it herself. He had been a fool for not seeing this coming. He had been a regular Sir Lancelot, rescuing Cho from the sea monsters. He could say that they were just friends all he liked. Everyone knew that the brave knight was never just friends with the damsel in distress. The fact that what everyone knew was wrong hardly mattered. Grand romances could not let little things like the truth stand in the way.

The Three Broomsticks was as crowded as always. Cedric moved toward a far corner in hopes of finding an empty table and a place to nurse a glass of Firewhiskey in peace. He was stopped by the sight of Luna sitting alone in front of what looked to be a half-finished game of wizard chess. Several pieces, both white and black, lay unconscious to one side. He wondered who she was playing against and where her opponent had gone. She considered the pieces carefully before telling her queen to capture black's rook. A few moments passed. No one came to order black to move.

Luna continued studying the board. Finally, she said, "Black king's knight to e5." The piece obeyed her without protest, capturing the white queen in the process. She was playing chess with herself. Just when Cedric thought he had encountered all of Luna's eccentricities, she displayed a fresh one. He had learned that even her most outlandish behavior had some logic and wondered why and how she played alone. He glanced at the bar. He still wanted to nurse a drink and be alone with his thoughts. Curiosity warred with self-pity.

Curiosity won. He approached her table. She looked up from her game and started in surprise. "Cedric? What are you doing here?"

He managed to smile at her. "Nothing in particular. May I join you?"

Surprise flickered across her face. It was gone in a moment, replaced by a small, tentative smile. "If you like."

"I would." He pulled up a chair and sat opposite her. After a moment, he tapped a pawn with one finger. It responded by waving its sword at him angrily. "What are you doing?"

"Playing chess."

"So I see. Why are you playing against yourself, though?"

She shook her head. "Oh, I'm not. Not really. I'm playing against my father."

"Your father? But your father's in Devon, isn't he?"

"Oh, yes. But that doesn't mean I can't play against him." She indicated the chessboard. "I'm playing white as myself and black as my father."

"Come again? How can you play as your father if he's hundreds of miles away?"

"Every chess player has habits. If you play against someone often enough, you can predict what he'll do in a given situation. I've played against Dad since I was eight. I'm doing my best to play exactly as he would have." A corner of her mouth turned up. "Including mistakes. White queen's rook to f4. Checkmate." The rook moved forward and the king handed off his crown. "Poor Dad. He never could resist a queen sacrifice."

"Doesn't the game get boring if you know exactly what moves both sides are going to make? Wouldn't it be more fun to play against an opponent who was actually present?"

She thought for a moment. "Not really. It's a challenge all its own trying to remember or guess how someone would solve any given chess problem. Fun is in the eye of the beholder." Luna cocked her head to one side, studying him. "Of course, if you're offering to play with me, I have no objection."

"Me?" Cedric felt his face grow warm. "You don't want to play with me. I haven't played chess since my grandfather died, and that was ten years ago. I'd be rubbish."

"I won't tell anyone. I doubt they'd believe me anyway. People want the Hogwarts champion to be able to do everything, including be a chess grandmaster." She smiled at him. "Really, Cedric, you should pay more attention to what others say about you. If I believed everything I heard, I'd think you were the one who discovered the twelve uses of dragon's blood. It wasn't you, was it? That would be quite a story."

Cedric bit back a laugh. "No, I'm afraid not."

"Pity. It would have made the front page. So, will you play?"

Why not? Playing with Luna certainly sounded more appealing than nursing a drink and feeling sorry for himself. The worst thing that could happen would be that he suffered a badly bruised ego. "I'd love to."

"As you have less experience, I'll let you be white." She turned the board around and ordered the pieces to return to their starting position. "Let's begin."

Twenty minutes later, Cedric was ready to revise his opinion of his chess skills. He wasn't rubbish; he was abysmal. Luna had captured his queen, both his rooks, and a knight. He'd managed to capture exactly two of her pawns. Cedric supposed he should resign, but he was a Hufflepuff, and Hufflepuffs did not surrender. He resolved to meet the almost inevitable checkmate with good grace.

She moved her bishop, placing him in check. "I saw Cho on my way here. She'd been crying," she said conversationally.

He tensed, and moved his remaining knight to block. "Yeah. I upset her pretty badly earlier today."

Her eyes lost their dreamy expression and her tone grew suddenly serious. "I'm not going to have to hex you, am I?"

"I hope not." He brought a hand to his forehead. "I like Cho, I really do. Why did she have to get the wrong idea? Why couldn't it have been Mum or Dad at the bottom of that lake?"

"I thought you said your parents were at a conference in Majorca."

He could feel his irritation mounting. "They brought Gabrielle from France, didn't they? Why couldn't they have brought my parents, too?"

"Perhaps they couldn't get away."

He shrugged. "Fair enough. Why couldn't they have picked one of my friends? I would have rescued them, gladly."

She thought for a moment. "Because you're a teenage boy, and conventional wisdom holds that there is nothing more important to a teenage boy than the girl he took the ball?"

"It was a rhetorical question." He shook his head. "Maybe we should have gone to the Yule Ball together after all. I would've missed you."

The moment he spoke, Cedric felt the urge to clap his hand over his mouth. He hadn't meant to say that out loud. Luna flushed crimson and seemed to have developed a great deal of interest in the position of her chess pieces. A moment passed, then another. The silence hung thick in the air. Cedric fidgeted. For the second time that day, he did not know what to say. His confession had been sincere, but he was also keenly aware that it was one of those things a person was supposed to keep to himself, not blurt out like a lovesick schoolboy.

"Thank you," she whispered almost inaudibly. "I would miss you too, I think." She looked up at him and beamed. "Oh, Cedric?"

"Yes?"

She moved her queen. "Checkmate."


	4. Part Four

**vii.**

"Tea, Mr. Diggory?"

Cedric accepted the proffered cup with a murmured thanks and sipped. Chamomile. Professor Sprout was in a good mood. He watched her as she drank her own tea, though with more enthusiasm. Her face was a mask of polite cordiality, but the sparkle in her eye gave the game away. She had some good news to share; he was sure of it. He wondered what it might be.

She waited until he had finished the last of his tea before speaking. "I received an owl from Amelia Bones yesterday. She had some very exciting news."

"Oh?" Cedric felt his skin prickle. Professor Sprout was not in the habit of name-dropping, and she knew better than anyone how much he wanted to join the Department of Magical Law Enforcement when he left Hogwarts. He leaned forward in his chair and held his breath.

"Yes. She's pushing for the Ministry to start a summer internship program. The Ministry's a bit reluctant to have students running around, so her department is going to serve as a guinea pig. She asked me if I knew any intelligent, serious-minded students who might be interested. Naturally, I wrote back and suggested you."

Cedric's eyes widened. A summer internship! He could see what the department was like from the inside, make sure it was what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. He could make contacts. Certainly, if he did his work well, it would be that much easier to get a job once out of school. "Thank you, professor!"

She held up a hand. "Don't get too excited just yet. Nothing will be official until May at the earliest, and you'll have to complete an application and several interviews." Then she gave him a conspiratorial smile. "Confidentially, I think you're almost certain to be chosen. You've impressed a lot of people with your performance in the tournament, including me. I wanted you to know that I'm proud of the gentlemanly way you've conducted yourself. You're a credit to Hufflepuff, and I am proud to be your head of house."

Cedric could only blush and smile.

An hour later, Cedric was still in a good mood. He walked towards the lake, enjoying the feel of the sun on his face. Birds chirped somewhere in the distance. There was nothing more beautiful, he decided, than Scotland in spring, especially after Scotland in winter. It was as if nature itself shared his joy.

He sighed contentedly. It was a good day for doing nothing. Ever since November, the Triwizard Tournament had seemed to occupy his every waking moment, first with dragons, then an egg, and, most recently, the lake. Finally, he had a respite. The third task would not even be revealed for more than six weeks. There were no puzzles to solve, no spells to master. He would be Hogwarts champion again in due time. Today, he was just a teenage boy enjoying the lovely weather while he contemplated a bright future.

He was not the only one who had chosen to spend the afternoon outside. Luna sat under a tree at the edge of the lake, seemingly entranced by the placid waters and oblivious to the other students who were talking and laughing nearby. She twirled a blade of grass absently with one finger. A battered sketchbook lay closed on the ground beside her. He walked as slowly and softly as he could, not wanting to disturb her.

"Good afternoon, Cedric," she said without turning around.

"One of these days I'm going to figure out how you do that."

"It sounded like you, that's all." She turned to look at him and smiled. "You seem very pleased about something."

"I am." He sat down beside her. "The Department of Magical Law Enforcement might be offering me an internship this summer."

"I didn't know you wanted to join the Ministry."

He nodded. "I've wanted to be a barrister ever since I can remember. I think I could do some good. The Ministry needs reform. They break too many rules too easily. Like that business with Sirius Black, it's a tragedy what happened to him."

"Oh, I quite agree. Dad's doing some research for an article proving that he's actually Stubby Boardman and innocent."

Cedric started to ask who Stubby Boardman was but thought better of it. "I mean it's a tragedy the way he was locked up in Azkaban for life without a chance to defend himself. Every bit of due process was tossed out the window because people were angry and scared. Even traitorous scum like Black deserves a trial."

Luna regarded him carefully. He had trained himself not to flinch under her scrutiny, but it still made him uncomfortable. "That's very admirable of you," she said softly after a long moment, "but I don't think you should join the Ministry."

"Why not?" He half-expected to hear a tale of how the Ministry and candy makers were plotting to take over the world by giving everyone bad acne.

"You're too good."

"What?"

"You're probably the noblest person at Hogwarts. The Ministry doesn't think much of nobility. Look at Fudge. He's always hanging about Lucius Malfoy." She wrinkled her nose as if she had smelled something vile. "That's what you'd have to do if you wanted to get anything done. 'You want to change the world, but the Ministry changes you instead.' At least that's what my mother always said. She used to be an Unspeakable, you know. She left when the department refused funding for research on how to reverse the effects of the Dementors' Kiss. She did research on her own. That's what she was working on when she died."

He laid his hand on top of hers. "I'm sorry."

"Thank you." She smiled slightly. "You're as close to a knight in shining armor as I've ever seen, Cedric Diggory. I just want you to stay that way."

"I will." Despite his confident air, he wondered. His father was both an honest man and a Ministry employee, but he wasn't a high-ranking official. Would there come a day when he would have to sacrifice one of his principles to achieve some cherished goal? He had always been fortunate enough to be both honest and successful, but that was not necessarily always going to be the case. He prayed he would have the courage to make the right choice when the time came.

Suddenly, Cedric didn't want to discuss his career plans any longer. He glanced about, hoping to find something -- anything -- else to talk about. His eyes fell on the sketchbook. "I didn't know that you were an artist."

She nodded. "Ever since I was a little girl. Most people don't think much of my drawings since they don't move, but I quite like them."

"May I see them?"

She considered it for a long moment, then nodded. Cedric took the sketchbook and balanced it gently on his knees. The drawings appeared to be mostly sketches of scenes around Hogwarts As Luna had said, they were still as any Muggle work of art, but they seemed curiously alive. He could almost hear the hooting of the owls in the Owlery and smell the food in the kitchens. At last, he came to a picture of skeletal winged horses that looked as if they had escaped from the nightmares of some demented genius. He shivered. What was this? All of the other drawings had been simple scenes of Hogwarts life, but he had never seen anything this grotesque at school.

Then he understood. "So that's what a Thestral looks like," he breathed.

"Yes. It took ages for them to trust me enough to let me get close enough to sketch them. Lots of raw meat, too."

"Well, your persistence paid off. I think it's a brilliant drawing. Macabre, but brilliant."

He resumed looking over the sketches. Luna would occasionally interject with a comment about how the available light had affected a drawing, the shading effect she had used, or some other artistic term that he only half understood. He wished he understood more about art, if only to share her obvious enthusiasm. He could only listen as she expounded on shape, line, and form with an energy rivaled only by Oliver Wood discussing Quidditch.

The last drawing appeared to be of a Quidditch game. The Seeker hunched over his broom, reaching for a Snitch that was just out of his grasp. He stared. Wait a moment,_ he_ was the Seeker. "When did you do this one?"

"Last year. It's one of your practices."

"I never saw you."

She shrugged. "I was in the upper part of the stands so no one would notice me. I didn't want anyone to think I was spying for Ravenclaw."

The idea of Luna doing anything as underhanded as spying was so comical that Cedric couldn't help but chuckle. "Next time you want to watch the team practice, feel free to come closer. I'm sure the others would be flattered, even if you are a Ravenclaw."

"I might just do that. I was never very happy with that drawing. Now I know why. I got you all wrong."

"It looks fine to me."

She tapped the picture with one finger. "No, your eyes are too close together, and your nose is a bit off. Now that I can see you up close, I can see a lot of little things I got wrong."

Cedric still thought it was a perfectly good likeness, but Luna was looking back and forth between him and the drawing, as if cataloging all the flaws in her work. "Yes, I must really do another portrait of you and do you justice." She clapped her hands in glee. "Oh, I've just had a brilliant idea. Why don't I do one now? That is, if you'd be willing to sit for me?"

Why not? "What do I have to do?"

Luna's expression grew suddenly businesslike. She took the sketchbook from him and shifted so that she was facing a tall elm near the water's edge. "Sit under that tree, if you please."

"This one?" She nodded and he sat down.

"Now, move your head a little to the left. No, too much. Down a little bit. Good. Bring your left knee up to your chest. Your_ other _left, Cedric! Stop laughing!" After a seemingly endless parade of similar instructions, Luna seemed at last satisfied. She flipped her sketchbook to a fresh page and dug a thin yellow stick out of her bag.

"Is that a pencil?"

"You like it? Arthur Weasley gave me a whole box of them for Christmas. They draw much better than a quill." The serious expression returned. "I need you to be quiet now."

"Sorry." Cedric had never been very good at sitting still without something to occupy him, so he settled for watching Luna as she worked. She looked… different. He winced inwardly. That sounded clichéd, even to him. Yet, there was no other word for it. It wasn't like the fairytales where the poor but virtuous witch drank the Scintillating Solution and won the heart of the handsome warlock. Luna was not a conventional beauty, and he doubted she ever would be. There was a confidence in her movements as her pencil ranged over the paper, though. Her eyes shone with some private ecstasy. It was as if her passion for her art was radiating outwards and infecting him.

He kept his eyes trained on her until she was finished. "Would you like to see?"

He sat beside her once more. She was right; this portrait was better. He moved his fingers over the drawing, half-expecting this Cedric to match his movements and the tree to sway in the breeze. "Wow," he said.

"Thank you."

They stood together. "I should be going," he said. "I meant what I said earlier. Promise me that you'll sit where I can see you if you come to one of my practices next year."

"Only if you promise me something first."

"What?"

Her mouth twitched with suppressed laughter. "Promise me that if you ever make Minister of Magic, you'll let me do the official portrait. And try not to get burned while you do all that dragon slaying at the Ministry."

He gave her an exaggerated bow. "But of course, milady."

**viii.**

"Who can tell me the function of a Patronus Charm?" Every hand in the room shot up. Cedric watched as Moody scanned the room before his magical eye settled on Roger. "Mr. Davies."

"The Patronus Charm is most often used to repel Dementors. It is also the only known defense against the Lethifold."

"Correct. And taken word-for-word from the textbook. Knowledge won't do you any good if all you can do is spit it back out. You have to make it your own and, above all, use it!" Roger, whose chest had puffed out a moment before, slid down in his chair and seemed to be doing his best to disappear. "I'm going to teach you how to produce a Patronus."

The class broke into a low murmur. A Patronus Charm was a very advanced bit of magic. Many adult wizards couldn't produce a Patronus; any student who could do it was gifted indeed. Cedric doubted it was on the NEWT exam. The Ministry was unlikely to encourage people to learn to resist the creatures who guarded Azkaban. No, Moody had his own reasons for teaching them this spell. He wondered what they were.

Moody saved him the trouble of asking. "Some people will tell you that this is a useless spell. The Dementors are our allies, and we don't need to protect ourselves against our allies." He slammed his hand down onto his desk. "I tell you that's rubbish! The Dementors are filthy, disgusting _things_ that only guard Azkaban because the prisoners are an easy snack. The moment someone comes along and offers them more fear and despair to feed off, they'll turn on you faster than you can say 'dinner.' You need to be prepared!"

He spent the next few minutes explaining how to perform the spell, though Cedric noticed that he did not demonstrate it. "All right, then. Time to see what you've learned. Who wants to try it first? How about you, Diggory? If anyone here can manage a Patronus, it's you."

Cedric felt his face warm, but he made his way obediently to the front of the class. He readied his wand and took a deep breath. Moody had singled him out. He had to succeed. A happy memory, he needed a happy memory. He remembered the moment Dumbledore had announced that he was the Hogwarts champion, the pride, excitement, and pure, wild joy he had felt at being chosen. "_Expecto Patronum!_" he shouted.

A silvery mist shot from the wand. It coalesced into a blurry, four-legged creature that Cedric couldn't identify. He let out the breath he had been holding. Whatever that thing was supposed to be, it wasn't a corporeal Patronus. Moody clapped him on the shoulder. "You almost had it, lad. An impressive effort. You'll get it eventually."

Cedric walked back to his seat, dejected. Despite the fact that he knew the spell was difficult, he had allowed himself to believe that he could cast it. He had almost had it, and that was worse than if nothing had come out of his wand at all. It was one thing to fail miserably, quite another to have success close enough to touch only to fail at the last moment. Almost, but not quite; good, but not good enough. However close he had come, he had failed in the end. He watched as, one by one, the others tried and failed to produce a Patronus. None of them produced more than a silvery wisp. The knowledge made him feel no better.

Dinner didn't improve his mood." Want to play a game of Exploding Snap when we get back to the common room?" Clive asked between bites.

"Can't. I'm meeting Luna for training after dinner."

"Training, right. If you're running off for assignations with Luna, just tell me. She's a bit young for my taste, but she's your girlfriend."

Cedric choked on his drink. Clive thought that he... that Luna... that he was seeing Luna? Where had he gotten that idea? Granted, he and Luna spent a lot of time together alone. He thought this was perfectly natural. People who liked one another usually spent time together. He liked talking with her or just sitting by the lake doing nothing. He liked going to Zonko's with her to help her pick out a deck of self-shuffling playing cards. He liked her. If Clive wanted to jump to conclusions, that was his problem. He opened his mouth to tell him so, but what came out was: "I don't have time for a girlfriend. The final task is to two weeks away." He needed to change the subject. "What kind of word is assignations, anyway?"

Clive looked sheepish. "Sorry. My mum got me one of those Muggle word of the day calendars for Christmas. I guess it's rubbed off on me." He spent the rest of the meal rattling off a list of the words he'd learned and didn't mention Luna again.

Which did nothing to banish her from his thoughts. Luna would make someone a fine girlfriend. She was funny and intelligent and kind. People who were put off by her eccentric dress and interest in unusual creatures were fools. They would never know what a talented artist she was or that she loved horses both magical and mundane or that her favorite color was aquamarine. It was a pity that he did not have time for a girlfriend. A fellow could do much worse than Luna Lovegood.

Where had that come from? Luna was his friend. She didn't fancy him. She'd told him herself that she had a crush on Ron Weasley.Never mind that when he was fourteen, his crushes had never lasted long. Luna might be the same way. The tournament would be over before he knew it. He'd have all the time in the world to take Luna anywhere she liked.

He shook his head. The stress of the tournament was getting to him. That had to be it. He resolved to take some time off from training -- right after tonight's session. It wouldn't do to disappoint Luna.

He and Luna had chosen a grassy patch near the Quidditch pitch as a training area. Cedric liked the place. They were unlikely to be disturbed, and he could see the maze in the distance. Nothing like having the ultimate goal in sight to motivate training. It was also not very far from the woods where they had found her bracelet all those months ago, though neither of them had ever mentioned that.

As usual, Luna was there first. She smiled at him. "Good evening. Are you ready to begin?"

He nodded. For the last few days, he had been practicing his Shield Charm with her. She would attempt to hex or jinx him, and he would block the spell. It wasn't very difficult --Luna, for all her cleverness, was three years behind him -- but it kept his reflexes sharp and gave her a chance to hone her skill at Defense Against the Dark Arts. He turned and walked until he was ten paces away from her. "Ready," he said. "_Protego!_"

Things progressed quickly after that. Luna shouted something that he didn't quite catch. He felt his legs go wobbly; it was as if all his bones had disappeared. He reached out to steady himself but to no avail. Cedric Diggory, the Seeker for Hufflepuff and Hogwarts champion, fell unceremoniously to the ground.

_This has not been my day_. "A Jelly-Legs Jinx. You've been practicing."

Luna looked as if she was trying very hard not to laugh. "And you're distracted. You aren't hurt, are you?"

He rubbed his head and sat up. "No permanent damage, unless you count my ego. First chess, now this. Is there anything you can't beat me at?"

She chuckled. "I can't play Quidditch, if that helps." She extended her hand, and he used it to pull himself up. It was warmer and softer than he remembered. "You are distracted, though. What's wrong?"

"Moody wanted me to cast a Patronus. I couldn't do it." That was true as far as it went. His failure still rankled. It didn't bother him nearly as much as his newfound confusion over his love life, but he wasn't about to tell her that.

"That's a very difficult spell. I've never seen anyone cast it before. I wish I could do it." She sobered. "I don't like Dementors."

No, she wouldn't like Dementors. They drained hope and happiness from all they encountered but especially affected those who had some traumatic event in their past. He remembered the drawing of a thestral that she had shown him. After Mrs. Lovegood's death, there had been rumors that Luna had been alone in the house with her. If Luna had seen her mother die... Dementors would have forced her to relive that memory every time they came near. Last year would have been hell for her. "I'll teach it to you -- if I ever master it myself, that is."

"Would you like to try now? You might do better now that you don't have any pressure on you."

He shrugged. "Why not? I can't look any more ridiculous than I already have today."

"You never look ridiculous. Even if you did, there's no one here to see you but me."

This was not as comforting as Luna meant it to be, but he had already agreed to make the attempt. He closed his eyes, concentrating. He thought of the day during the summer before his fifth year when he had received the letter that announced he was to be both a prefect and Quidditch Captain. He had been so proud of himself than; surely that was a happy enough memory. "_Expecto Patronum_!"

The same blurry shape as before emerged from his wand. "I don't think that's a Patronus," said Luna.

"No, it's not." Cedric grimaced. "I'll get it, though. You'll see." He had never failed in his schoolwork before; he would not fail now. A small part of him wondered if he would be so adamant if he didn't have Luna for an audience. He pushed the thought away.

Cedric tried everything he could think of to cast a Patronus. He tried different inflections on each syllable of the incantation. He called up the memories of every Quidditch victory and every academic triumph, trying to find a memory sufficiently powerful to summon the Patronus. Nothing worked, not even the memory of being accepted into the internship program.

A bell tolled in the distance. Eight o'clock. Third years were only allowed out of their common rooms until 8:30. "You should go inside," he said. "I'll stay out here and work a little longer. I'm sorry you didn't get to see a Patronus."

"That's all right." She thought for a moment. "What kind of memories did you use?"

"Quidditch victories, good marks on exams, that sort of thing. Why?"

"I think I might know why you haven't been able to cast a proper Patronus."

"Yes?" he said, a little more eagerly than he meant to.

"You remember I told you that Mum was working on a way to reverse the effects of the Dementor's Kiss?" He nodded, and she continued. "Well, she was something of an expert on them, truth be told. She told me that there's nothing the Dementor's can't stand more than love. It's toxic to them. There's even a special room deep within the Department of Mysteries that contains love itself, or so she said. The Dementors made the Ministry lock it up when they agreed to guard Azkaban."

"That's really interesting, Luna, but what does that have to do with my Patronus?"

Her eyes were suddenly bright. "Everything! Don't you see? A Patronus drives away Dementors because it's everything good in your life in a concentrated form. If there's nothing a Dementor hate more than love, then concentrating on a time that you felt loved should produce a Patronus." She fixed him with her wide, silvery eyes, and he could not look away. "Try it once more. For my sake."

Well, he couldn't say no to that, could he? So, he needed a memory where he felt loved. He remembered of family picnic when his sixth birthday. All his grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins had been there. His father had even taken the day off work to be with him. He concentrated on the contentment and peace he had felt that day. "_Expecto Patronum_," he said again, quietly but with conviction. If this Patronus was going to appear, it would. Shouting wouldn't help.

The four-legged blur returned. Only it wasn't_ staying_ a four-legged blur. Cedric watched with wide eyes as the shape solidified, revealing the form of a large Labrador. Cedric had never seen anything so beautiful in his life.

"I did it," he breathed. Then the full enormity of what he had accomplished began to sink in. He felt like dancing or laughing or singing or maybe all three at once. He settled for grabbing Luna in a one-armed hug. "Thank you."

She responded by leaning her head on his shoulder. He did not move away. One arm still around Luna, he directed the Labrador with his wand, moving it this way and that. On impulse, he made it glide forward and land at Luna's feet. She reached out one hand and barely touched the dog's head. "Feel this." She removed his hand from her shoulder and brought it forward, so that he too was "petting" the dog. It did not disappear. Instead, something warm raced up his fingertips and radiated through his whole body, leaving him happier than he had thought possible.

He looked at Luna once more. The pure joy that he had seen on the day she had sketched his portrait had returned. Cedric felt his throat go dry. He knew he was staring but couldn't find it in himself to care. Clive thought Luna was his girlfriend. He wondered what life would be like if that were true. He wondered what it would be like if he kissed her. There was no better time to find out. If she turned him down. He could always say he must have hit his head harder than he thought.

He dismissed the Patronus with a flick of his wand and brought his hand up to her cheek. She did not pull away. That was a good sign. He tilted his head to one side and brushed his lips against hers. Nothing happened, and Cedric was sure that the next thing he would feel was the sting of a very well-deserved slap. But then she was kissing him back and twining her fingers in his hair, and Cedric thought of nothing else for a long time.

When they broke apart, they were both breathing hard. Luna's cheeks were flushed. He was sure he was supposed to say something profound, but everything he came up with sounded stupid and overblown. Luna had no such constraints. "That was nice," she said.

"Yeah, it was." He put his arms around her, and she pillowed her head on his chest. "I wouldn't mind doing again."

"Neither would I."

He twirled a lock of her hair around his finger. "I heard a rumor that the champions are going to be allowed to celebrate in Hogsmeade after the last task is over. Suppose you and I were to sneak off for a celebratory dinner? We could go to Madame Puddifoot's, if that's what you want."

"No, I think I'd rather go to the Three Broomsticks. I could beat you at chess again."

He grinned at her. "Hey! I have two whole weeks to practice. I might surprise you."

She pecked him on the lips. "I don't think you can ever surprise me again, Cedric Diggory."

Cedric looked over the top of her head. He could just see the maze in the distance. Two more weeks of practicing -- well, mostly practicing -- with Luna before the final task. He intended to make the most of them. After that, Hogsmeade. And after Hogsmeade? He hardly dared guess, but he couldn't wait to find out. "I can try."


End file.
